Tanpopo Ramen

There are no good authentic ramen shops in Wellington, so when I get the opportunity in Auckland and wanting some nice hot Japanese comfort food, ramen springs to mind. With many ramen outlets in Auckland I am spoilt for choice, I decided to go to Tanpopo just because it was close to Britomart where I was located at the time.

Tanpopo offers a selection of different flavoured ramen from salt, soy, tonkotsu, miso with various toppings. Each page of the menu is dedicated to a particular soup base. You can also request to have a richer or lighter soup and softer or harder noodles.

At lunch times, they offer a special where you pay an additional $2 when a bowl of ramen is purchased you get a bowl of rice and four goyzas.

The walls are plastered with Japanese adverts, tables and chairs are simple but clean.

I ordered a bowl of ramen and the $2 special omitting the rice.

Miso Tonkotsu Ramen with BBQ pork, bamboo shoots and dried seaweed. The ramen noodles were thin and cooked perfectly. The broth was very tasty, and slightly thick as you would expect from tonkotsu. I did not rate the pork at all, it was very thinly sliced and extremely fatty. It probably had more fat than meat to be honest.

Goyzas – were delicious filled with pork and bit of cabbage. The goyzas were piping hot as these are cooked to order. I would be more than happy to down hundreds of these.